Against the world, the Roman Empire, over which Cæsar ruled, included nearly known world. person is now too opinion to do honour to Cæsar. But yesterday, the word of Cæsar might -now lies he 40 there, And none so poor* as to do him reverence! the whole of the then O masters! if I were disposed to stir Your hearts and mind to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus and Cassius* wrong, wrong, Who, you all know, are honourable men! high in his own I will not do them wrong; I rather choose To wrong the dead, to wrong myself and you, Than I will wrong such honourable men !— But here's a parchment* with the seal of Cæsarhonours. He was the I found it in his closet *-'tis his will! author of the conspi- Let but the commons * hear his testamentracy to murder his benefactor. (Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read),Parchment, the skin And they will go and kiss dead Cæsar's wounds, 50 prepared for writing And dip their napkins in his sacred blood; Yea, beg a hair of him for memory; private And, dying, mention it within their wills, Cassius was a Roman noble, upon whom Cæsar bestowed great of a sheep or goat on. Closet, a room. Commons, the com- Bequeathing it, as a rich legacy,* mon people. Issue, children, de. scendants. The Nervii were the most warlike of the Belgic tribes. Their country was in the north-eastern portion of France. In 57 B. C. Cæsar so totally defeated them, that they had only 5co fighting men left out of 60,000. Casca was the conthe first thrust at spirator who aimed Cæsar. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. * See what a rent the envious Casca * made !— To be resolved, to be certain. Casar's angel here means plots against his sove- Pompey's statue, a statue set up in the Forum to the honour of Pompey the Great, the predecessor of Cæsar. And, in his mantle muffling up his face, Oh! what a fall was there, my countrymen! 45 55 60 65 70 75 Whilst bloody treason* flourished over us! Our Cæsar's vesture wounded? look you here! traitors! Bloody treason, &c., the treason which caused Cæsar's blood to be shed, triumphed for the time being. Dint of pity, the effect of pity which causes you to shed tears. see, by 85 Good friends! sweet friends! let me not stir you up To such a sudden flood of mutiny! They that have done this deed are honourable ! That made them do it: they are wise and honourable, 90 And will, no doubt, with reason answer you. full well * * 95 That gave me public leave to speak of him- And bid them speak for me. But, were I And Brutus Antony,* there were an Antony 5 Marred, disfigured. Poppy, a plant having large showy flow ers. FLEETING PLEASURES.-Burns. * Borealis race, here reference is made to the "Northern Lights." Evanishing, disappearing. MERCHANT OF VENICE,* ACT IV. SCENE I. Shakspeare. Magnificoes were Enter the DUKE; the MAGNIFICOES ;* ANTONIO, BASSANIO, GRATIANO, SALARINO, SALANIO, and others. the higher or chief nobles of Venice. Antonio, a young merchant, who used to lend money to dis tressed people any interest for Duke. What, is Antonio * here? Ant. Ready, so please your grace. Duke. I am sorry for thee; thou art come to answer without receiving A stony adversary,* an inhuman wretch Uncapable of pity, void and empty From any dram* of mercy. it. Adversary, an enemy. Uncapable (now written incap able), not being able to pity. to turn him from tion. Rigorous, severe, stern, cruel. Obdurate, harsh, very cruel, stubborn. The Jew, Shylock, who hated Antonio because the latter had often insulted him in the streets and public places, and found fault with him for lending money at a high rate of interest. The world, those interested in the matter; here means the people of Venice Where, whereas. Moiety, portion. Ant. * I have heard, Duke. Go one, and call the Jew* into the court. lord. Enter SHYLOCK. Duke. Make room, and let him stand before our face. Shylock, the world* thinks, and I think so too, And, where* thou now exact'st the penalty, But, touch'd with human gentleness and love, Glancing an eye of pity on his losses, That have of late brought down such ruin on him, 5 ΙΟ 15 20 25 Venice was once an important commercial city. It is situated on the islands at the mouth of the river Po, in northern Italy. It has canals for streets, and above 300 bridges over them, the chief of which is the Rialto, built of white marble. 30 Enough to press a royal merchant* down. We all expect a gentle answer, Jew. Royal merchant, the great Italian merchants who Shy. I have possess'd* your grace of what I had claims on purpose; And by our holy Sabbath have I sworn To have the due and forfeit of my bond.* 35 If you deny it, let the danger light Upon your charter* and your city's freedom.* 45 To excuse the current* of thy cruelty. Shy. I am not bound to please thee with answer. Ant. I pray you, think yon question with You may as well go stand upon the beach, my, the Why he hath made the ewe * bleat for the lamb, I would not draw them; I would have my bond. Shy. What judgment* shall I dread, doing no The pound of flesh, which I demand of him, There is no force in the decrees* of Venice: 65 Unless Bellario, a learned doctor, * Whom I have sent for to determine this, Salar. My lord, here stays without * 70 New come from Padua.* Duke. Bring us the letters; call the messenger. kingdoms, and Charter, that on ed because coin ed in the domin ions of a Duke. A silver ducat is remember Main flood, the ocean, the rising tide. Bate, to stop, lower, or diminish. Ewe, a female sheep. Judgment, punishment, sentence. Decrees, laws. Judgment here means a verdict. Upon my power, on my authority. Determine, decide. New, just now, this instant. Padua, an ancient city in Lombardy, about twenty miles from Venice. Bass. Good cheer, Antonio! What, man? courage * The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all, Enter NERISSA,* dressed like a lawyer's clerk. Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario? there. * Gra. Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh Jew, Shy. No, none that thou hast wit enough to make. That souls of animals infuse themselves Are wolfish, bloody, starved, and ravenous. Shy. Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond, 95 * To cureless ruin.-I stand here for law. Duke. This letter from Bellario doth commend Ner. He attendeth here hard by, To know your answer whether you'll admit him. you, Go give him cordial conduct to this place. Enter PORTIA,* dressed like a doctor of laws. Duke. Give me your hand. Came you from old Bellario? Por I did, my lord. 100 105 |